Darul Ifta Ahl al-Sunnah

1) Hearing the imam recite a verse of prostration whilst outside of prayer

Q: What do the noble ulema say concerning the following matter: If someone heard the imam recite a verse of prostration before he joined the prayer, will the prostration of recital be necessary upon him?

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

A: In the scenario described in the question, the prostration of recital is necessary upon the person who heard the verse of prostration whilst outside the prayer. The detail concerning this is that after hearing the verse of prostration, if he joins the prayer before the imam prostrates due to this verse, he should prostrate with him. If he joins the same rakꜤat in which the imam has recited the verse of prostration, but after the imam has already prostrated for it, he will not perform this special prostration as the action of the imam will suffice. This is because by joining the rakꜤat it as if he has attained the prostration. If he enters the prayer in any other rakꜤat, he should prostrate after completing the prayer. It should be noted that even if he does not join the prayer, the prostration is still incumbent upon him (due to hearing the verse of prostration).

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

Answered by: Mawlana Muhammad Sarfraz Akhtar Attari

Verified by: Mufti Fuzayl Raza Attari

2) Offering the funeral prayer wearing shoes

Q: What do the noble ulema say concerning the following matter: Can the funeral prayer be offered wearing shoes?

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

A: If the shoes and the ground beneath them is pure, the funeral prayer can be offered wearing them; it is permissible. However, if one of these matters is not found, i.e., the earth is impure or the shoes are impure, the funeral prayer will be invalid. If the ground is pure and there is no real hindrance, it is appropriate that the prayer be offered without shoes. This is because shoes that are in use are often dirty to some degree, even though they might not have any impurity on them.

At a place where the purity of the ground is doubtful, shoes should be removed and one should stand on top of them and offer the prayer. In this scenario only the purity of the upper part of the shoe will be necessary. Here, even if the sole of the shoe or the ground is impure, the prayer will be valid according to the opinion of Imam Muhammad رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه, this is the fatwā position.

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

Answered by: Mawlana Muhammad Sarfraz Akhtar Attari

Verified by: Mufti Fuzayl Raza Attari

3) Is Ꜥushr (harvest tax) necessary upon a person in debt?

Q: What do the noble ulema say concerning the following matter: If someone owes a debt whose value is greater than the value of produce from one’s land, will Ꜥushr still be necessary upon him?

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

A: According to the principles of Islamic law, debt does not exempt one from the obligation of Ꜥushr. Therefore, regardless of how much a person is in debt, it will be obligatory upon him to extract a tenth or a twentieth, as required, from the entire produce of his land, without deduction of the debt.

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

Answered by: Mawlana Muhammad Bilal Attari Madani

Verified by: Mufti Fuzayl Raza Attari

4) In which direction should the feet of the deceased be kept during the ritual bathing process?

Q: What do the noble scholars say concerning the following matter: In which direction should the feet of the deceased be kept during the ritual bathing process?

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

A: According to some scholars, the feet of the deceased should be kept towards the Qiblah during the bathing. This is like the positioning of the ill or disabled person for prayer. Other scholars express that the deceased should be laid down the way he is placed in his grave (the head is placed in the northern direction and the feet in the southern direction in Pakistan). 

However, the most correct opinion is that the feet of the deceased can be placed in any direction.

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

Answered by: Mufti Fuzayl Raza Attari

5) If one sold a crop after it was ready for harvest, will Ꜥushr be necessary?

Q: What do the noble ulema say concerning the following matter: The crop was ready for harvest, but prior to harvesting, the owner sold it. In this situation, will the buyer or the seller be liable for the Ꜥushr upon it?

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

A: When the crop is ready to the extent that there is no risk of it withering or spoiling, the Ꜥushr will become necessary. It will be incumbent upon the one who is in ownership at the aforementioned time. In the scenario described, since the crops were ready for harvest during the ownership of the seller, Ꜥushr is necessary upon him and not the buyer.

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

Answered by: Mawlana Abu al-Hasan Dhakir Attari Madani

Verified by: Mufti Fuzayl Raza Attari